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It’s a work day, and like many people Justin Molter gets up, showers, dresses, brushes his teeth and grabs some breakfast. Molter, though, never dreads another long, drawn-out day. When Molter goes to work, there’s a chance he’ll bump into three-time NBA All-Star Brandon Roy for example, or maybe LaMarcus Aldridge or ex-NBA great Terry Porter.

“I get to go to work,” Molter says.

Molter works with the Portland Trail Blazers as an intern for TrailBlazers.tv. From working a talk show or mediating chat rooms, he has a hand in just about everything that has to do with Blazers television production during, before, after games and in the offseason. Molter sets up cameras and lighting, manages social networking accounts and produces interactive and video content for his own webpage through the Blazers website. To date, he has produced more than 150 live TrailBlazers.tv broadcasts.

“I like being able to go make videos during the games and working on these live shows,” Molter says. “And being around the players and the Blazers is just awesome.”

Molter spent most of his life playing sports. He wrestled and played ice hockey. He played lacrosse, football, basketball, soccer and baseball. In high school, he went to multiple Oregon State sporting events each year, but it wasn’t until college that Molter became a Trail Blazers fan. He says it was his friends — big Portland fans — who got him into the team.

Those experiences, in part, made his transition into the Blazers internship that much easier. “It was natural,” Molter says. “I was able to jump into the position and not have to ask any redundant questions.”

Molter learned about the internship opportunity from Louis Bottaro, an adviser in the new media communications program, from which Molter graduated last year. Bottaro also steered Molter toward working at OSU’s KBVR radio station. There, Molter created, introduced and produced shows like “The OSU Dating Game,” and “Greek Pads.” He also worked for Oregon State Athletics as a camera operator and video editor.

“A lot of what NMC did for me was kind of force me into situations,” Molter says. “Throwing myself into that experience and actually just doing it without having any experience really helped be develop.”

Through his extracurricular work and the program, which allows students to study 3D animation, videos, journalism and more, Molter honed the skills that have been instrumental in his success with the Blazers – namely creating stories, interviewing people and editing video. “KBVR and OSU have really helped me,” Molter says. “I’m putting my major to use. I’m setting up cameras like I did at Oregon State. I’m setting up lights like I did at Oregon State. It’s cool.”

Currently, Molter is still a Blazers intern, and hopes to someday shed the title and be with the team full time. The Blazers production staff has helped him realize that social technology is always evolving, and offers room for creativity, not to mention seemingly endless job opportunities.

Molter says communication outlets and production companies are growing, and they will need younger people who know how to use social media. “The NMC program is really training you for jobs that aren’t even out there yet,” he says.

In the future, Molter dreams of creating viral videos, working in sports broadcasting or working in Los Angeles on movie sets. His one piece of advice to students is to keep engaged. “Get involved,” he says. “Get to know your advisors. Build relationships.”